Machine for shrinking cold tires.



UNITED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

MACHINE FOR SHRINKING COLD TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905 Application filed December 22, 1904. Serial No. 238,026-

lb rtZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRYMAYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Shrinking Cold Tires; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to machines-for shrinking cold tires.

It has for its object to provide a machine of this nature which is more efiicient than those now in use and which is simple of construction and comparatively cheap of manufacture.

The invention consists, broadly, in two op-. positely-movable pairs of jaws adapted to grip the tire and to be movedtoward and away from each other.

The invention also consists in certain details of construction, combinations of parts, and

- means for operating said jaws hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims concluding this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a broken plan view with a section of tire in place; and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional'view on the line 00 :20 of Fig. 3, showing the guideways of the jaw-carrying blocks, &c.

While the preferred embodiment of my invention is fully shown in the accompanying drawings and its construction and operation is clearly described in this specification, the right isreserved to make such changes from the construction shown and described herein as the scope of the claims hereto appended will permit.

shaft and engages with a pinion on the side of a V-toothed wheel which is adapted to be actuated in either direction by a reversible pawlcarrying lever. The wedge-shaped jawsare seated in recesses in the top of the blocks and are retained in place by flanges extending over their outer edges. The tire-engaging edges of said jaws are serrated, and the opposite edges of each pair diverge toward the other block. The adjacent upper-edges of the blocks are preferably provided with depressions to receive the ends of a strip adapted to extend across between the blocks above the shaft to protect said shaft and support the tire.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, 1 1 are the side pieces of the frame of the machine, provided with ways 2 2 in which work the blocks 3 3. The frame has an end cross-piece 4E and an intermediate cross-piece 5, in which is journaled the shaft-6. The whole frame is preferably raised upon legs 7. Said shaft is provided with right and left hand threads 8 9, respectively, beginning near its opposite ends and running to about its center. Said oppositely-inclined threads engage correspondingly-formed threads 10 10, respectively, in the holes through the blocks, whereby the actuation of said shaft in one direction will draw said blocks together, while actuation thereof in the opposite direction draws them apart. The inner extremity of said shaft is supported by a brace or bracket 11 and carries a bevel-gear 12, meshing with a similar gear 13, fast to or made integral with the side of a V-toothed wheel 14, mounted on a cross-shaft 15, journaled in the side piece of the frame. A hand-lever 16, pivoted to said cross-shaft, carries a reversible jaw 17, whereby said wheel may be actuated in either direction to operate the screw-threaded shaft to bring together or separate said blocks. Each of said blocks is provided with a recess having diverging side walls 19 and a curved bottom 20, deeper at the edge adjacent to the other block. A pair of jaw-pieces 21 fit below flanges 22 on said blocks and have their tire-engaging edges serrated, as at 23. The smaller outer ends of said jaw-pieces have lateral extensions or lugs 24: to support the tire in its curved position. Small depressions 25 near the adjacent edges of the blocks hold the ends of a cross bar or plate 26, which extends across above the shaft and tends to protect said shaft as well as support the tire 27 on the rim or felly 27 a of the wheel. Gross-bars 28, secured by hooks or dogs 29, hold the wheel 30, upon which the tire is to be shrunk, in place.

The middle bar carries a block on its lower surface, which projects down to engage the wheel, while the other bars are arranged at points where the inner face of the rim of the wheel is level with the top surface of the sides of the machine, so that they directly engage said rim.

It will be noted that, owing to the arrangement of the jaws, the pressure brought to bear on the blocks to shrink the tire tightens the grip of said jaws upon the tire. The flanges 22 retain the jaws in place and, together with the lateral lugs 2e on said jaws, which are engaged by the tire, hold said jaws true and prevent them from turning or rising and gripping the felly instead of the tire. The cross-bar or bridge-piece 26 is free at both ends, and when the wheel is clamped between the jaws below the cross-bar 28 the pressure thereon is -equal at both ends, so that when the blocks are moved toward each other said bridge-piece remains Stationary while the blocks slide under it, thus preventing the tire from turning, as it is apt to do when the bridge is fixed to and moves with one of the blocks. The combination of these devices in my machine insures the gripping of the tire by the jaws at the same time at the first movement of the blocks and does away with the necessity of hammering or driving said jaws. The jaws also loose their grip on the tire at the same time upon the movement of the blocks away from each other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with slidably-mounted oppositely-movable blocks having recesses in their surfaces with overhanging flanges, of jaws arranged in said recesses with their outer edges extending below said flanges and means to actuate said blocks.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with slidably-mounted oppositely-movable blocks, of jaws arranged on the upper surfaces of said blocks, said jaws having inwardly-extendinglugs, for the purpose specified, and means to actuate said blocks.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with slidably-mounted oppositely-movable blocks having recesses in their upper surfaces with overhanging flanges, of jaws arranged in said recesses with their outer edges extending below said flanges, inward lyextending lugs on the inner edges of said jaws and means to actuate said blocks.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY MAYERS.

Witnesses:

W. J. EDWARDS, GEO. G. BELT, Jr. 

